Vegetable Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lb. carrots
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup pearled barley
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 russet potato
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 handful fresh parsley, optional garnish

Directions

1. Chop the onion into dice and finely mince the garlic. Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion has softened and turned translucent.
2. As that cooks, peel the carrots and cut them into dice. When the onion is ready, put the carrots in the pot, then add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices, the barley, basil, oregano, a little freshly cracked pepper, and the vegetable broth.
3. Give everything a good stir, cover the pot, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring the broth to a boil. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and let the soup bubble gently with the lid on, stirring now and then, for 30 minutes.
4. While the soup is simmering, peel the potato and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. After the soup has simmered and the barley is nearly tender, add the potato and keep simmering for 10 minutes more, just until the potato is tender.
5. When the potato is tender, stir in the frozen green beans, corn, and peas. Let them warm through in the simmering soup, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the lemon juice at the end. Taste, then adjust the salt or pepper however you like it. Serve the soup hot, topped with fresh chopped parsley if you want that little green finish.